


A Teenage Prayer

by SweetSorcery



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: 1950s, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1950s, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Partial Powers, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Blow Jobs, Canonical Character Death, Challenge Response, Chicken (game of), Come Eating, Credence Barebone Gets a Hug, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Don’t copy to another site, Facials, Falling In Love, First Dates, First Kiss, First Time, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Hand Jobs, Happy Credence Barebone, Happy Ending, Leather Jackets, Leather Kink, M/M, Magic, Making Out, Male Slash, Movie rewrite, No Period Typical Homophobia, No age difference, Non-Canon Character Ages, Period Typical Attitudes, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Original Percival Graves, Protective Original Percival Graves, Public Blow Jobs, Public Display of Affection, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Semi-Public Sex, Sexual Tension, Slash, Slow Dancing, Smitten Original Percival Graves, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 07:41:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17956397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetSorcery/pseuds/SweetSorcery
Summary: Credence, a boy raised by a strict, religious woman, is tired of being good. He's also tired of pretending not to be madly in love with the handsome, leather-wearing delinquent Percy Graves.





	A Teenage Prayer

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Dreamwidth's [Fluffbingo](https://fluffbingo.dreamwidth.org/) Challenge. Prompt: Happy
> 
> ALSO written for the "Mister Depp You've Been Replaced" challenge. After we were robbed of Colin Farrell in Fantastic Beasts, we've come up with a challenge to write Gradence AUs based on Johnny Depp films out of pure spite. We're not sorry.
> 
> This is loosely based on the movie **Cry Baby** , with the cast replaced and a lot of the sillier bits removed. A touch of magic, and some smut, have been added instead. ;)  
>  The song Credence sings, and which inspired the title, is on the movie soundtrack.
> 
>   
> 

_Polio Vaccination Day_ proclaimed a sign on the wall.

Credence stood in one of two parallel lines of students, eyeing the gigantic needle in the school nurse's pudgy fingers with a sense of impending doom. It was a huge, intimidating thing and, if he wasn't sure ma would find out about it somehow, he'd make a run for it.

"Hey, doll, are you scared?" Henry laughed, pulling Credence against his side.

Credence shuddered, putting more distance between them with his elbow in Henry's side. He wished the only types of boys ma approved of weren't the likes of Henry Shaw—arrogant, ambitious, judgmental, conservative types; the kind of guy who had an opinion on everything, and it was always bad.

"Come on, don't be like that." Henry narrowed his already narrow eyes at him.

"I've told you before, Henry, don't grope me. I can't stand it."

There was a lot of commotion all of a sudden, and Credence turned back towards the doors, along with everyone else, and promptly felt his stomach drop. It was that boy—the one who always wore a leather jacket, whose black hair was always slicked back, whose dark brows were always in a frown, and who always without fail made Credence's pulse speed up when he caught sight of him: Percy Graves. He quickly turned away towards the front of the queue, hoping he hadn't been caught staring.

"That guy's a freak," Henry stated, as if he was an authority, sneering at the way everyone let the other boy head to the front of the queue. "I'll show him." He strode up to the front and sat on one of the two raised chairs, a nurse rolling up his sleeve while a doctor prepared to inject him with the vaccine.

Credence missed his yelp of pain and the face he pulled, too busy pretending not to watch the way that Picquery girl tried to attach herself to the boy in leather.

"Why don't you ever call me, Percy?" she whined.

"I never said I would, Seraphina, leave me alone," the boy said in a tone that implied he'd said it before, many times. He rolled his dark eyes and looked away from her, right at Credence.

Credence swallowed at the intensity of his expression, jumping when he got a gentle nudge in his back to tell him it was his turn to be vaccinated. Henry passed him and muttered something about waiting outside, but Credence ignored him. He hesitantly ascended the little podium and took a seat.

"This won't hurt a bit," the nurse said dispassionately. To Credence's embarrassment, she undid several buttons at his collar, because his shirt sleeves were so narrow, they couldn't be pushed up. He went red when the shirt was pushed off his left shoulder to expose his upper arm, and a few of the other students in line whistled.

Credence had stopped caring about any potential pain, between both the embarrassment and the realisation that Percy had gone up to the other chair, shrugging his jacket off his right arm, and he was looking at him again while the second doctor disinfected the injection area below the edge of his white T-shirt. In fact, his warm brown eyes were trailing from Credence's face down his neck, sliding outwards along his bare shoulder like a physical caress, until he was looking down at the spot on Credence's upper arm where the needle was going in. Credence whimpered softly, and the intense gaze snapped up to meet his again in a way that made him feel weak and shaky.

Stumbling a little when he was nudged out of the chair, he struggled to do up his shirt as he made his way out of the classroom, not daring to meet Percy's eyes again, or anyone else's. 

* * *

After classes Credence, having managed to shake off Henry, exited the school building, only to see Percy and his gang lounging all over a large black car with a magic wand spitting out flames painted on the hood, making snide remarks at passersby, but only, Credence noticed, those who gave them nasty looks first.

Something about that selectivity gave him the courage to take a deep breath and cross the road towards the little group; they might be vilified by the whole school, not to mention his ma and everyone she knew, for wearing black leather as much as anything, but he'd done nothing to them. He wasn't afraid.

Percy, who was wearing sunglasses, slowly took them off, letting them dangle from his fingers, and smirked as Credence approached, and he smiled back shyly, whispering a soft, "Hello." He tried not to bolt when Percy pushed himself away from the car and walked in a slow circle around him, assessing him in great detail.

"Aww, it's the pretty baby boy." A curly blonde girl grinned at Credence, while a chubby boy had his arm around her, looking at her adoringly.

"Don't tease him, Queenie," said a dark-haired girl. "Squares don't like it. He's brave coming over to us misfits, that's nothing to sneeze at." She assessed him. "Hi, kiddo."

Credence smiled. "Hi."

"I wasn't teasing," the girl called Queenie said, reaching out to ruffle his hair. "Just stating facts. What'cha think, Percy?"

Percy, having finished his scrutiny of Credence, leaned back against the car and casually tucked his sunglasses into the top of his white T-shirt, looking pleased at the way Credence watched it draw the fabric down between his collarbones. "I think he's a bit of a misfit himself. Aren't you, pretty angel?"

"He's both a square and a misfit. He's a squit," the dark-haired girl said, and everyone chuckled.

Credence bit his lip, cheeks pink. "I don't know about that, but..." He lowered his eyes with a sigh.

Warm fingers lifted his chin. Percy was looking at him. "Go on."

Credence took a deep breath. "I'm tired of being good." He ignored the whoops and giggles from the others.

Percy's mouth curved up at one corner. "Is that so?"

Credence nodded very slightly, not wanting to dislodge the fingers now cupping his chin. He gasped when Percy's thumb traced his bottom lip, pushing down on the centre of it.

"I'm sure I can help you with that." Percy's deep voice held a lot of promise, and it made Credence shiver.

" _Credence Barebone_!" Mary Lou Barebone's shrill voice rang out across the wide street, jolting Credence to jump back from Percy's touch and the little group. "What do you think you're doing, being seen with those... those... delinquents?" The woman huffed, giving everyone present a disgusted look. Henry, who had somehow managed to hitch a ride in the back of her open Chevy, sat there looking annoyed.

Percy snickered. "I was just about to offer your son a ride, ma'am."

"Certainly not." Mary Lou sniffed. "Get in the car at once, Credence. We have a church social to attend."

"Yes, ma." Credence obeyed, knowing better than to defy his foster mother.

* * *

They had barely made it over the outskirts of town when the black car, with all the windows wound down and the whole group waving, started to overtake them. It was a more than pleasant distraction from ma's incessant shouting about acting like a tramp and hanging around with the wrong sorts who listened to ungodly music and wore terrible clothes.

Percy was at the wheel, smiling at Credence, who watched the way his pomaded hair blew back in the breeze. When he winked, Credence giggled and ducked his head.

"There! You see what I mean?" Ma was livid, trying to make sure the car would pass them as soon as possible by slowing right down, but so did Percy alongside them. "Go away!" she called out, making shooing motions.

Percy mock-saluted her. "Just wanting to find out where your church social is being held, ma'am." His voice carried easily over the wind. "I'm thinking we'd like to attend." Everyone else in his car was laughing, and so was Credence.

"Credence!" Ma snapped. "Pay no attention to those people. They're not the sort we want anywhere near the church."

"Aww," the dark-haired girl called out. "That's not nice, Mrs Barebone. We're all sinners, in need of redemption."

"Shouldn't everyone be welcomed at church, ma?" Credence dared to say, which got him a giggle from the blonde girl, Queenie. He grinned at her, but then his eyes fixed on Percy, who spent more time looking at him than at the road, until Credence felt so hot and bothered, he had to divert his gaze, only to see a car heading their way in the other lane. In Percy's lane!

"Oh no, please, be careful!" he called out, half leaping up out of his seat, waving frantically towards the road in front. "There's a car coming!" He gave Percy a scared look.

Percy blew him a kiss, then sped up and shot into the lane in front of them with barely a second to spare. The driver coming the other way hooted and yelled out his window like mad, Mary Lou and Henry joining in for good measure.

Credence had fallen back into his seat, smiling softly while his heartbeat slowly returned to normal.

* * *

The highlight of the church social was a talent quest, which was little more than Mary Lou Barebone's way of showing off Credence's singing skills. She never praised him herself, but she was well aware of his abilities and left the praising to others to do, hoping it reflected well on her.

Henry Shaw and his brother were there too, unfortunately, doing a Doo Wop number.

When it was his turn, Credence, dressed in a light linen suit with a fancy bow tie, went up on stage to sing a heartfelt rendition of _A Teenage Prayer_. Partway through his performance, he noticed Percy standing at the back of the hall, arms folded, leaning against the wall, and watching him intently. He sang more passionately than ever, not taking his eyes off the boy.

 _My friends all know it_  
_How I adore him_  
_I whisper to angels_  
_What I'd do for him_

 _He is the answer_  
_To a teenage prayer_  
_He won't go steady_  
_The crowd has told me_

 _But I keep waiting_  
_To have him hold me_  
_Why won't you listen_  
_To a teenage prayer?_

 _I await by the window at seven_  
_And chill when my thrill passes by_  
_His kiss could send me to heaven_  
_Into his arms I would fly..._

When Credence finished, the crowd clapped politely but unenthusiastically. Mary Lou didn't look pleased either, having told Credence expressly he was to choose a pious hymn to sing, not _one of those wanton pop songs_.

He knew well that his choice of 'Teenage Prayer' was outright blasphemy to her, but ceased to care when Percy applauded enthusiastically, walking closer to the stage to throw a pink rose towards him.

Credence caught it in midair, smiling happily.

"Who let you in here?" Henry demanded, heading for Percy, his brother and a couple of their friends in tow.

"I'm here for Credence. What does it have to do with you?" Percy asked calmly.

"I'm his boyfriend!" Henry stated.

"No, you're not, Henry," Credence chimed in, hurrying down off the stage.

"There you go," Percy told Henry smugly, smirking when Henry grit his teeth at him.

Mary Lou Barebone was storming towards Percy. "Get out, you... you..."

"Delinquent?" Percy suggested. "Don't worry, Mrs Barebone, I won't be here any longer than necessary." He grinned, calling out to the room at large. "I think Credence should win this contest, by the way. I've been watching and listening from outside, and there's no competition for him here."

Credence snickered, walking towards him.

"Just where do you think you're going, young man?" Mary Lou Barebone snapped, reaching for his arm, but Percy already had hold of the other one.

"Come with me?" he said pleadingly to Credence, ignoring everyone else. "There's a party at Owl Point tonight. I want you to meet all my friends and family, properly."

Credence nodded eagerly.

"Oh no, you don't." Henry's fist shot out to hit Percy, but it met the palm of his raised hand, and then Percy's fist connected with his jaw. Henry howled, cradling his jaw, and his brother took a hesitant step forward as if to take up the baton.

"Come on, let's go," Credence said quickly, before all four of them could attack Percy. He smiled, and Percy smiled back, and they ran for the exit door, hand in hand.

"You get back here, Credence Barebone!"

Credence ignored ma's yells, and the disgusted mutters from her church friends. He had no idea what kind of welcome he'd return to but, for now, he was off to spend the evening with Percy and his friends, and that was all that mattered.

Percy mounted his motorcycle outside and grinned. "Hop on, angel. And hold on tight."

Credence obeyed, climbing on behind him, wrapping his arms lightly around Percy's waist.

"Not like that, or you'll fall off. Don't be shy," Percy said, sounding amused. "Real tight."

"Okay." Credence held on tight then and, because they were the same height, he tucked his chin over Percy's shoulder and rested the side of his face against the back of his head. "Like this?"

"Yeah, just like that," Percy said, sounding pleased." He started the motorcycle and they were off, wind breezing through their hair while the afternoon sun warmed them up.

* * *

Owl Point, an abandoned amusement park, was a favourite hang-out spot for Percy and his gang and, that night, they were having a party. It was fun, relaxed... just for a hoot, someone punned, to uproarious laughter.

Credence was properly introduced to the dark-haired girl from that morning—Percy's half-sister Tina who, while a bit intimidating at first, was one of the nicest people he'd ever met. The giggly blonde was his other half-sister Queenie, and the chubby guy was Jacob, her constant loyal companion; they both had Credence in stitches within minutes of starting to really talk to them.

He was made to feel so welcome at Owl Point, he felt twice as bad for the horrible reception Percy had been given at the church, not to mention ma's and Henry's nasty comments. When the girls dragged him off so he could change out of his church social suit and into some of Percy's things, he didn't resist, and was twice as glad when he walked back towards Percy and saw the way he looked at him. Credence was now wearing a tight-fitting T-shirt and jeans held up with a belt, but they were a little too short, so Queenie had rolled up the legs a bit and they looked more like pedal pushers.

He also got to meet the older Goldsteins—Tina's and Queenie's parents, who'd adopted Percy when he was a baby, and who ran a magic shop. Apparently, that was where a lot of the town's hatred of them all came from. They dabbled in white magic, but there was no explaining the difference to folks who heard the word witch and got into a frenzy about dark magic and Satanism.

Credence found it all fascinating but, in all honesty, he thought they were just pulling his leg. So they proved it to him.

Queenie read his mind, which proved to be pretty embarrassing for him, though it sure made Percy happy.

Tina liked to brew potions, and when he politely refused a taste of her latest—Veritaserum, which was meant to make the drinker tell nothing but the truth for a short while, no matter what was asked of them, Percy took a drink. This resulted in Credence getting a little payback for the mind-reading; he found out that Percy thought he had the sweetest smile, the prettiest eyes, the loveliest hair and was the most beautiful boy he'd ever seen, and that he couldn't concentrate on any lesson once Credence had walked past his desk in class.

Credence was blushing furiously by then, even though Percy seemed to feel no shame at all about those confessions, just smiling at him in a way that made him hot all over. When Jacob called for the dancing to start, to take everyone's attention off Credence's awkwardness, he gave the boy a grateful smile.

Percy asked him to dance and never let go of him for a minute for as long as the music lasted. They jived, twisted, jitterbugged and, eventually, slow danced and, throughout it all, Percy had eyes for no one but Credence. When he pulled him close, his hands low on his back and pressing their hips together, he whispered in his ear, "Next time someone gives me that potion, I'll be able to mention how good you smell too."

Credence sighed happily and put his head on Percy's shoulder. Every dance after that was a slow dance and, by the time they wandered away from the few remaining couples still moving in front of the old stage, Credence felt the phantom touch of Percy's warm hands all over his back, arms, hips and the nape of his neck, tingling and making his heart beat like a drum.

Percy was holding his hand and drawing him to a large open lawn.

Credence looked around a little uncomfortably at the many picnic blankets accommodating couples fooling around all over the park, but he didn't resist when Percy took his hand and drew him to the shelter of a wide oak, more private than most spots. The moon shone through the thick branches, reflecting off the light blue blanket, and Percy settled down and drew Credence down with him.

"Hey, don't look so scared."

"I'm not scared," Credence claimed. "It's just..."

"Hmm?" Percy was leaning on his right elbow, looking at him and playing with the curls blowing around his face, tucking one behind Credence's right ear.

"I've never done anything like this." Credence was lying on his left side now, facing Percy, shivering at the light touch of his fingers tracing the rim of his ear.

"Like what?" Percy asked with a smirk. 

"You know," Credence mumbled.

"Sat on a blanket?"

Credence giggled. "No, that's not what I mean."

Percy leaned closer. "Never had someone play with your hair?"

"Not like this, no."

"What about your ears? They're really cute. Has anyone played with those?"

"No," Credence croaked when Percy leaned right in and exhaled against the shell of his right ear, letting his tongue flick out and lick at his earlobe. "God..." he whimpered, his eyes closing.

"Do you like praying?" Percy asked teasingly.

Credence huffed a nervous laugh. "Not usually, but I don't get much choice."

"There's always a choice, angel." He abandoned Credence's ear to kiss down the side of his neck, his left hand sliding into his curls, fingertips massaging his scalp.

"You... think so?" Credence, his eyes closed and his head tipped back, struggled to form words. The soft lips and hot breath on his throat were heavenly.

"I know so." Percy licked up the whole length of Credence's neck, bit down lightly on his chin when he reached the top, and told him, mouth half an inch from his. "I choose you, angel."

"Oh," Credence whispered. He was breathing hard, lips parting when Percy's fingers held his jaw and pressed.

"Will you let me kiss you?" Percy asked. "I mean, _really_ kiss you."

Credence licked his lips. "Will I... will I get cooties?"

Percy laughed softly against his mouth. "They don't survive in open air. We could kiss like this, to make sure." He flicked his tongue out against Credence's lips, one at a time. "You have such perfect lips, I need to taste them so bad." He licked up over his bottom lip, and then the top one, in one long swipe, leaving them trembling.

Credence felt shaken, instinctively reaching for the touch with his tongue, and Percy licked against the tip of it between their open mouths. Credence did the same to him, and they took turns like that, breaths warm and damp between them, lips quivering.

When they took a breather, foreheads pressed together, Percy asked, "Do you know how long I've been watching you, wanting you, wondering what you'd say if a guy like me approached you?" His voice was husky.

"Me too," Credence admitted in a whisper.

Percy made a soft sound in his throat. "And in the end, you were the brave one." He shifted closer, his right forearm turning on the blanket so he could slide it under Credence's waist, turning his hand to grasp it.

"I couldn't help myself any longer." Credence was rewarded by Percy closing his lips over the tip of his tongue and sucking. He lost his balance, gasping, but Percy's hand in his hair and arm under him cushioned him when he fell back on the blanket.

Percy followed him right down, tongue sliding all the way into his mouth while his left leg slid between Credence's thighs and pressed... right... there.

"Mmm!" Credence moaned into Percy's mouth, both arms coming up to clutch at his back. He thought a well-behaved boy would probably push him off, but he couldn't make himself care. He wanted him closer. As close as he could get him.

Percy kissed him until Credence felt like a live wire, every nerve in his body shivering and sparking. When his left hand slid up Credence's side, tugging the borrowed T-shirt up and moving right under it and up to his chest, rubbing his palm over him until his nipple pebbled under it, Credence groaned.

"Has anyone touched you here?" Percy asked urgently, circling a fingertip over a hard nipple. "You're so sensitive."

"No," Credence gasped, then had to bite his own tongue to keep from crying out when Percy shoved the T-shirt right up and latched onto the nipple with his pursed lips, sucking hard. His fingers were scrambling to get under Percy's T-shirt and, finally, managed to reach smooth, warm skin, sliding it up so his palms could move all over his bare back.

"Hmm, that's good. Love to feel your hands on me," Percy praised. "What about you, want me to touch you somewhere that square who keeps following you around doesn't even dare to think about?"

Credence went hot all over. "Yes. And... I don't want anyone touching me but you!"

"Good." Percy kissed his rapidly rising and falling ribcage, while his hands went to work on Credence's jeans.

"What about all those people," Credence gasped, only just remembering they were out in the open.

Percy huffed out a laugh. "They're too busy to watch what anyone else is doing, trust me, angel."

Credence hoped he was right. He couldn't help asking, "If you don't pray and such, and maybe don't believe in God, how come you call me angel?"

Percy smiled. "I believe in _you_ , and you could be nothing else."

"Oh." When Percy's hand slid into his open trousers to cup his hardness through his underwear, Credence stopped caring if the whole world was watching. His hand flew down to cover Percy's, and he didn't even know why.

"Don't you want me to?" Percy asked, sounding disappointed.

"No, I... I do, I... sorry, I have no idea what I'm doing." Credence met Percy's eyes, wondering whether it was the moonlight or they really were that dark. "Go ahead."

Percy smiled, holding eye contact while he began to squeeze and stroke lightly over Credence's trapped cock. "Tell me if I'm doing something you don't like."

Credence's teeth worried at his lip. "I... like this a lot," he murmured, his hand dropping away to his side.

"So do I." Percy's voice was rough. "I want to make you feel so good." He kissed him again, apparently unable to do without Credence's lips for long. When they opened to him eagerly, he intensified his kiss, and his fingers slipped behind the elastic, pushing it down to release Credence's cock. He inhaled sharply, his eyes widening.

Credence gasped out, "Percy, what..."

"Shh." Percy licked up over both lips again as if to seal them, smiled, and slithered lower, until he could wrap his hand around the base of the hard shaft and kiss the tip. "Aren't you just perfect, angel? Wow." He kissed it again, letting go of it with a sensual lick of his tongue across the shiny slit.

"Jesus Christ!" Credence's voice came out high and a little desperate between his palms, now covering his face.

Percy chuckled, then closed his mouth over the soft, dripping tip, starting his sucking with a deep swallow of the salty slickness already welling up from it.

Credence's fingers were clutching at the blanket, his legs parted just far enough to accommodate Percy between them. He was grateful to be held immobile. He could tell himself there was nothing he could do about being so wanton, and in public no less. He tilted his head to the side and his eyes widened. They weren't the only ones doing non-public things in public. That much, at least, was reassuring.

Soon enough, he was too distracted to focus on anything further away than Percy's bobbing head over his groin, reduced to groans and whimpers while Percy's mouth and tongue worked over every inch of his cock, licking and kissing and slurping shamelessly as if he was the most delicious treat. He interrupted only to lick his index finger, and then he moved a hand under him, searching for and caressing his hole, which fluttered against his tentative touch, and Credence fought not to cry out. God, he was so hard, and he still seemed to be getting more so. When Percy breached him, sliding his finger and and out of him, he just whined.

Percy took it in his stride. It was clear he was struggling with Credence's length, choking on it when he went too far down, but recovering quickly.

Credence worried when he got closer and closer to it becoming too much, and he reached out with one arm, fingers tapping at Percy's head.

Percy chuckled around his cock, which made him gasp and quiver. "Stop, Percy. Oh stop, I'm almost... ungh!" He didn't even know the right words.

"Go ahead," Percy murmured against the spit and semen covered shaft. "Let me _really_ taste you."

"Ah!" Credence twitched, and Percy clutched his roaming hand and intertwined their fingers as he sank his mouth back down over him. That, more than anything, made Credence climax with a little cry he would later hope no one had heard.

When Percy slid up his body, still exposed from collarbones to limp cock, he was trembling. "Oh, that was..."

"Hmm, it really was." Percy gave him a salty kiss which made Credence pull a funny face. "You're so damn sweet, I could do that to you all day long."

Credence, still breathing much quicker than normal, laughed a little. "I think I'd pass out, and so would you probably."

"It would be worth it, and we'd wake up together."

Credence looked at him wide-eyed. He was slowly regaining control over his breathing but losing it over his heartbeat. "You're not at all how people think you are."

Percy rolled off him and pulled him into his arms, cradling his head against his neck. "Neither are you."

Credence bit his lip. "Percy, do you want me to..." He let his hand roam tentatively down Percy's front, fingertips grazing a very definite bulge in his jeans.

Percy groaned softly. "I'd love it. Here, let me help." He unbuckled his belt, unzipped his jeans, and slid Credence's hand inside his underwear, sighing when the long fingers closed around his hot shaft tentatively.

Credence leaned over him, kissed him, and drew him out into the open.

Percy took his hand and held it to his mouth, licking the palm to ease the friction, smiling at Credence's blush when he closed his damp hand around his cock. "Mmm, that's nice," he whispered.

Credence agreed. "Shall I take you in my mouth too?" he offered shyly.

"Only if you want to." Percy tried to sound as if it didn't matter, but his breathing was quicker now, eager.

"I do," Credence said, slithering down his body, his own limp cock dragging over the rough denim of Percy's jeans, making him wince a little with over-sensitivity. He watched the flushed head slide through his fist for a few moments before he leaned in and kissed it tenderly. The taste and texture were intoxicating, and he poked out his tongue to lick at the underside.

"That feels good," Percy murmured.

Encouraged, Credence licked all around the head, his hand continuing to stroke and, when he saw drops of fluid leaking from the slit, he licked those up too, and the more intense taste made him do it again, eager now for more of Percy, more of his praise, more of those little groans and grunts he had started making.

"Angel..." Percy's fingers were in his curls, stroking and gently guiding. Soon, they seemed to want to pull him off, but Credence didn't really want to give up on his treat. "Going to..." Percy was panting, left thigh twitching up, against the side of Credence's head, as if he was losing control of his muscles. "Better stop," he warned.

Credence started pulling back, but Percy was already coming, shooting a jet of come in an arc which landed on Credence's cheek, the next one hit just above his Cupid's bow and he opened his mouth, moving back down the throbbing shaft. He smiled around it in satisfaction when no more of the taste was wasted.

"Oh, hell!" Percy was groaning. "You... Credence. Uh!"

The advantage of Percy coming over his face was that, afterwards, he licked it clean, his tongue tickling over the space between Credence's mouth and nose and over his cheek, while Credence giggled happily, left with a clean but wet, sticky face Percy smiled up at with a tender expression.

And that's when all hell broke loose.

There was the sound of screeching car tires, people yelling, lights flashing...

Credence and Percy scrambled to put themselves back together, jumping up and running, along with everyone else, towards the source of all the commotion.

Groaning, Credence realised Henry Shaw and his friends were there, along with half the school, by the looks of it, clearly ready to pick a fight.

"Credence!" Henry yelled, looking around. "Graves, can you hear me? Get out here, you coward, and bring Credence with you. He's going back with me."

"I'm not going anywhere with you, Henry," Credence shouted, walking towards him, his hands balled into fists. "Not now. Not ever!"

Percy was beside him at once, caressing his arm as he passed him. "I'm here, Shaw. And yes, so is Credence, and he's staying here for as long as he wants to."

Henry grit his teeth. "Over my dead body."

Percy gave him a smirk. "That can be arranged. Just keep provoking me."

"Percy!" Credence said, pleadingly. "He's not worth the trouble."

Percy turned back to him. "No, he's not, but you are." He grasped the back of Credence's head and leaned in for a short, but deep kiss, which left Credence dazed.

Apparently, it left Henry Shaw seeing red, because he stomped towards Percy with his fists raised, and Percy only turned just in time to face him and move out of the way of his first punch. And a fight was underway.

Everyone else got in on it within seconds, the new arrivals taking on Percy's friends.

Credence managed to get in a few punches, and was impressed by how well Tina and Queenie did, even if they used some unconventional methods involving heels and bobby pins.

The fight was in full swing when police sirens could be heard in the distance, but no one seemed willing to stop and, minutes later, two police vans were filled to capacity with struggling teenagers—unfairly, more of them were Percy's friends than Henry's, and both groups were loaded into separate vans.

"Henry started it all," Credence told the sheriff. "Please, sir. He came out just to make trouble. And Percy only hit back to protect me!"

Sheriff Scamander wasn't an unreasonable man, but he wasn't used to large scale fights and how to sort them out. "Mr... uh, Barebone, right?"

Credence nodded.

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to take in everyone I saw fighting. It'll all be sorted out in court tomorrow. You can be there, make your statement."

Nodding again frantically, Credence agreed, looking longingly at Percy, who was leaning out of the van as far as he could, calling out, "It'll be okay, angel," as if Credence was the one in trouble, not Percy.

Queenie wrapped an arm around him as he watched the vans and police cars drive away. "Want to stay with us tonight?"

Credence, who hadn't even thought about ma's reaction to how he had run off earlier that day, nodded gratefully. He looked around. "Where are Tina and Jacob?"

"Got arrested too." Queenie was pouting. "We'll go get them out tomorrow, even if we have to use magic."

"Okay." Credence felt better already. "I'll do what I can to help."

* * *

The court appearance the next day was... surprising. The judge seemed confused as to where to even start, and Credence couldn't blame him.

Most of the town had turned up, hoping to see 'those awful delinquents brought to justice', and Credence did his best to avoid even looking at Mary Lou, but when she shouted something about her son having been abducted, he shouted back in protest, denying it vehemently.

Everyone seemed to be on trial at the same time, with Percy and his friends on the opposite side of the room to Henry's goons; no doubt to keep fists from flying.

Credence winced when he saw the bruise on Percy's jaw, but was pleased at how much worse a state Henry was in. When Percy winked at him, he blushed and smiled.

Sheriff Scamander entered, looking more befuddled than the night before. He couldn't seem to stop looking at Tina, who smirked at him each time, and his eyes lowered instantly whenever she did.

The case was heard, while the judge struggled to keep the crowd from turning his courtroom into a circus. He took statements from everyone present, and Credence delivered his statement as calmly as he could, not looking at anyone but Percy, who gave him encouraging smiles and nods.

When Sheriff Scamander was called to the witness stand, no one was more surprised than the judge when he passionately pleaded for the release of Percy's friends as the fight had clearly been started by Henry.

Credence blinked, wondering how he'd managed to get his head around that overnight, when he saw Tina giving him a grin. Oh. She must have... done something. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what.

The town was outraged but, in the end, the evidence was overwhelming, especially with the local sheriff's statement on top of everything, and everyone but Henry and his close friends were released at once, while they were ordered to pay hefty fines for disturbing the peace. The wouldn't be doing time only because no one was pressing charges.

Credence thought it was more than they deserved. When he flew into Percy's arms, while everyone was filtering out of the courtroom around them, he heard Mary Lou's voice.

"You're coming home, young man. Right now. I don't even want to know what you were doing last night or where you were."

Credence stiffened, but Percy held him to his side, one arm over his shoulder. "How old are you, Credence?"

"18."

Percy grinned at Mary Lou. "Seems to me then, Mrs Barebone, that Credence gets to choose where he spends the night. All his nights."

Credence looked at him, eyes wide.

"Want to live with us at Owl Point?" Percy asked, and Credence nodded at once.

"Absolutely not!" Mary Lou screeched.

"Bye, ma," Credence told her, and Percy lead him from the courtroom, laughing.

* * *

The peace lasted until that evening, and Credence was just getting nicely settled in Queenie's and Tina's trailer, with Percy looking on and hinting he wouldn't _have_ to sleep there, when they heard cars approach.

"Oh no," Credence sighed.

They went outside, along with everyone else and, sure enough, Henry was back, with Mary Lou, and a couple of his friends. The rest of them had clearly had enough.

"What now, Shaw?" Percy asked, sounding bored.

"I'm challenging you," Henry said.

Laughing, Percy wrapped his arm around Credence's shoulder, and Mary Lou looked ready to burst an artery. "To what, a duel?"

"Basically." Henry stepped up to him, not even looking at Credence. His anger at Percy seemed the only thing on his mind now. "We're going to play a game of chicken, Graves. Just you and me." He looked around and pointed. "There are two cars, and Dead Man's Curve is just a mile away."

"Percy, no!" Credence pleaded.

"Don't worry, doll. If he goes over, I'll take you back." Henry sneered.

Percy had tensed up alongside Credence's body. "That's not going to happen, Shaw. Let's do this."

"Please, Percy." Credence looked at him worriedly when Percy turned and cupped his face in his hands.

"I'm going to be fine. I won't take stupid chances, unlike that idiot Shaw there, but I need to get him off our backs." He looked grim. "He'll never bother you again."

Credence nodded. "Please be safe."

Percy pulled him close and kissed him, before Henry, before Mary Lou, before everyone. There were scoffs and demands to hurry up and, when Percy released him, Credence took his favourite ring—a simple woven silver band—off his ring finger and gave it to Percy, who smiled and slipped it on his hand. "Thanks, angel. Now nothing bad can happen."

Credence wanted to believe that, he really did.

"Let's go, Shaw," Percy said, striding away. "But I'm using my own car. I don't trust you."

Henry looked annoyed, but headed back to his car. "Come on, Mrs Barebone, we'll show that riff-raff."

"What? No, I don't want—" Mary Lou struggled, but Henry dragged her along back to his car, half shoving her into the back seat.

Everyone found a car to ride in, and they made it to Dead Man's Curve within minutes. The race was set up, the cars, especially the brakes, were checked, and then Percy and Henry were parked next to each other, facing the cliff edge ahead of them. _Whoever stops first, loses_ —that was the only rule.

Credence could barely watch as they sped towards the cliff. He was shaking all over, his gaze fixed so hard on Percy's car, his eyes were watering and, for the first time, he was praying with all his heart and meaning every word.

Percy's friends were standing around him when they all watched Percy's car screech to a halt, several metres away from the cliff edge.

Credence started running, followed by Tina, Queenie and Jacob.

Henry's car was swerving, his tires squealing. He was all over the place. In the backseat, Mary Lou was flailing her arms in the air, yelling at him. He'd completely lost control of the car and, with shouts from inside the car, it flew over the cliff edge in a strangely tilted arc. Moments later, there was an almighty crash, and smoke drifted up in the air like a black thundercloud, sparks of flame dancing inside it. And it was obvious to everyone, even before they reached the edge and looked down, that Henry Shaw and Mary Lou Barebone were dead.

Credence stopped running, hands over his mouth, staring at the smoky cloud in horror, as if he'd conjured it himself, and Percy was there in an instant. He'd been running back towards him, and now he stood holding him tight.

"Don't look, angel."

"Percy!" He pressed his face to Percy's shoulder.

"Hush. It was their own fault. And you're safe now. Safe with me."

Credence sobbed, even as bone-deep relief flooded him. "You're safe too."

Percy cradled his head against his neck. "How could I not be, with my very own angel watching over me?"

"I love you." Credence pressed close. "I love you."

Percy squeezed him tight. "I love you too, angel."

 

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Tumblr](https://sweetsorcery.tumblr.com/), and we can squee about this and maybe other pairings/fandoms we love. I'm also on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sweetsorcery) and [Dreamwidth](https://sweetsorcery.dreamwidth.org/). Feel free to drop me a message anywhere. :)


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